410 new masters and innovative craftsmanship honored in Salzburg!

410 new masters and innovative craftsmanship honored in Salzburg!

A total of 410 new masters were honored with a celebratory ceremony at the Haus für Mozart at the weekend. At the “Festival of Crafts”, State Governor Karoline Edtstadler and Chamber of Commerce President Peter Buchmüller presented the coveted master craftsman’s certificates and certificates of qualification. The event appropriately showcases the strengths of Salzburg's crafts and shows once again that the upswing in master training is unbroken. Last year, 400 new master's degrees were recorded, and in 2015 there were only around 250.

One of the key messages of the celebration was that the craft is seen as an attractive and future-proof career. Edtstadler also highlighted the role of the education voucher, which acts as support for master craftsman training. This ensures that many young people can take the step into self-employment. A master's degree is highly valued today and is considered equivalent to an academic bachelor's degree.

Growing support from the MeisterAlumniClub

A special highlight of the event was the presentation of the newly founded MeisterAlumniClub, which already has over 4,000 members. This initiative shows how important networking and exchange among the new masters are in order to further increase the quality and innovative strength of Salzburg's crafts.

During the festival, the best companies of the year were also awarded the Salzburg Craft Prize 2025:

• 1. Platz: Trilety GmbH aus Hallein für eine neu entwickelte Hydrostat-Kehrmaschine.
• 2. Platz: Meiberger Holzbau GmbH aus Lofer für den Neubau der Kindertagesstätte Rosenhof.
• 3. Platz: Schlosserei Harasser GmbH aus Saalfelden für die Stahlgeländerkonstruktion bei der Erneuerung der Mühlfeldwegbrücke in Hinterglemm.

The craft festival underlines the quality, innovative strength and excellent training in Salzburg's craft businesses. This not only honors the achievements of the new masters, but also sends a strong signal to future generations who might choose the craft.

Support offers for aspiring masters

An aspect that should not be neglected on the path to becoming a master is the financial support options. Craftsmen, technicians and specialists who want to further qualify can access comprehensive funding through the Meister-Bafög, which is based on the Advancement Further Training Funding Act (AFBG). These include a grant of up to 15,000 euros for training costs as well as monthly maintenance contributions, which vary depending on the family situation.

These initiatives show that craftsmanship in the state of Salzburg not only has a long tradition, but is also actively invested in the future. With a successful mix of traditional craftsmanship and state-of-the-art technology, the prospects for masters and companies are more than promising.